Systems and methods to provide loyalty programs

Abstract

A computing apparatus includes: a transaction handler to process transactions; a portal to receive from users enrollment input identifying account identifiers of the users and respective loyalty programs; and a data warehouse to store data associating the account identifiers with the respective loyalty programs. In response to an authorization request received in the transaction handler for a payment transaction identifying a first account identifier, the computing apparatus is to use the data warehouse to determine whether the first account identifier is enrolled with a loyalty program; and if the first account identifier is enrolled with a first loyalty program, the computing apparatus is to use the transaction handler to request purchase details from the merchant via a response to the authorization request, and determine benefits to be awarded to the user of the first account identifier.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, in a computing apparatus coupled to a transaction handler, an authorization request from an acquirer processor;   processing, by the transaction handler, the authorization request for a payment from an issuer processor to the acquirer processor, the issuer processor to make the payment on behalf of a customer, and the acquirer processor to receive the payment on behalf of a merchant;   during the processing of the authorization request for the payment at the transaction handler,
 determining, by the computing apparatus and from the authorization request, an account identifier issued by an issuer, and 
 determining, by the computing apparatus, whether the account identifier is associated with a loyalty program of the merchant; and 
   in response to a determination that the account identifier is associated with the loyalty program, providing, by the computing apparatus in an authorization response for the authorization request, an indicator identifying that a user of the account identifier is enrolled in the loyalty program of the merchant.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, in a data warehouse coupled with the transaction handler, membership data associating the account identifier with the loyalty program.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, prior to the authorization request:
 processing a payment of a membership fee in the loyalty program using the account identifier to establish the membership data associating the account identifier with the loyalty program.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 hosting the loyalty program in the data warehouse by storing information for the loyalty program in the data warehouse in association with the account identifier.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the information stored for the loyalty program includes a balance of benefits accumulated for the user of the account identifier under the loyalty program. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 storing data identifying an account identifier set, including the account identifier, wherein the membership data associates the account identifier set with the loyalty program to allow a membership in the loyalty program to be identified through an authorization response to an authorization request for any account identifier in the account identifier set.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing, in a data warehouse coupled with the transaction handler, membership data associating the account identifier with a plurality of loyalty programs to indicate memberships of the user of the account identifier in the plurality of loyalty programs.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing, by the computing apparatus, identification information of the loyalty program in the authorization response, in response to a determination that the account identifier is associated with the loyalty program.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 providing a user interface to receive input to establish the membership data.   
     
     
         10 . A computing apparatus, comprising:
 at least one microprocessor; and   a memory storing instructions configured to instruct the at least one microprocessor to at least:
 receive an account identifier of a consumer payment account; 
 transmit an authorization request to an acquirer processor using the account identifier, wherein
 the acquirer processor is configured to transmit the authorization request to a transaction handler of a payment processing network, and a payment transaction made using the account identifier is processed by the transaction handler for a payment from an issuer processor to the acquirer processor, the issuer processor to make the payment on behalf of a customer, and the acquirer processor to receive the payment on behalf of a merchant, and 
 during processing of the authorization request for the payment, the account identifier is determined to be associated with a loyalty program of the merchant, and an indicator identifying that a user of the account identifier is enrolled in the loyalty program of the merchant is provided in an authorization response for the authorization request; and 
 
   receive the authorization response that includes the indicator identifying that the user of the account identifier is enrolled in the loyalty program.   
     
     
         11 . The computing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct the at least one microprocessor to provide a benefit to the user in response to the indicator provided in the authorization response. 
     
     
         12 . The computing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the benefit includes access to member privileges; and the access to member privileges is provided in response to the indicator in the authorization response without requiring a purchase. 
     
     
         13 . The computing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the indicator is provided by the transaction handler. 
     
     
         14 . The computing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction handler is configured to provide the indicator based on membership data associating the account identifier with the loyalty program. 
     
     
         15 . The computing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein prior to the authorization request, the membership data associating the account identifier with the loyalty program is established via a payment of a membership fee in the loyalty program using the account identifier. 
     
     
         16 . The computing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein a data warehouse coupled with the transaction handler stores membership data associating the account identifier with a plurality of loyalty programs to indicate memberships of the user of the account identifier in the plurality of loyalty programs. 
     
     
         17 . The computing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the authorization response includes identification information of the loyalty program. 
     
     
         18 . A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a computing apparatus to at least:
 receive, in the computing apparatus having a transaction handler of a payment processing network, an authorization request from an acquirer processor;   process, by the computing apparatus, the authorization request for a payment from an issuer processor to the acquirer processor, the issuer processor to make the payment on behalf of a customer, and the acquirer processor to receive the payment on behalf of a merchant;   during processing of the authorization request for the payment, determine, by the computing apparatus, whether an account identifier identified in the authorization request is associated with a loyalty program of the merchant; and   in response to a determination that the account identifier is associated with the loyalty program, provide, by the computing apparatus in an authorization response for the authorization request, an indicator identifying that a user of the account identifier is enrolled in the loyalty program of the merchant.   
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the computing apparatus stores data to host the loyalty program for the merchant; and the instructions are further configured to instruct the computing apparatus to offer a membership of the loyalty program to the user based a transaction provide of the user. 
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions are further configured to instruct the computing apparatus to provide a portal presenting a user interface to identify the account identifier for enrollment in the loyalty program.